UPS Said to Shift Focus to Small Deals as TNT Purchase Fails

United Parcel Service Inc. will pursue smaller European acquisitions and growth in its own business after its 5.16 billion-euro ($6.9 billion) purchase of TNT Express NV fell apart, people familiar with the matter said.

The world’s biggest package-delivery company learned in a Jan. 11 meeting with the European Commission that the deal would be rejected, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. That triggered a weekend of planning sessions in which Atlanta-based UPS decided to abandon the transaction, the people said.